I worked for the railroad before the UFC signed me, now it's my time to shine, Elliott says
IT'S been a long road to the UFC for Oban Elliott, but the Welshman has never given up hope of reaching the promised land of mixed martial arts.
Even as he juggled one of the most grueling and demanding jobs with training to realize his dream of competing in MMA's top promotion.
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The three-time Cage Warriors Academy champion financed his dream of reaching the UFC – and paid for the accounts – by working night shifts on Merthyr's railway lines.
And it was during those cold and dark nights on the track where the 26-year-old welterweight cemented a mentality that has seen him tick off one of his career goals.
Ahead of his debut at UFC 298 early tomorrow morning, he told SunSport: “There was never a moment where I thought it wasn't going to happen.
“But there were definitely moments where I thought, 'If this happens or not, I gave it my all.'
“When you're on night duty and on the road, those days were tough, mate.
“But it just built my character differently.”
The trials and tribulations that Elliot has experienced in his life have not only been crucial in shaping his mentality, but also set him on the path to the UFC.
He said: “Behind the scenes, working full time and training full time, has made me the man, the fighter you see today.”
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Elliot punched his ticket to the UFC last September on season seven of Dana White's Contenders Series with a majority decision win over Kaik Brito that nearly finished him in the second round.
Recalling the fight, he said, “You would literally have to kill me and turn around and duck for the TKO.
“You should have laid me flat on my back.
'You're just dealing with a different kind of person when you come into contact with someone like me.
“It's not just a little competition, you have your hands full every time.”
Elliott will follow in the footsteps of fellow Welshman and Welshwomen Brett Johns, Jack Marshman, John Phillips Cory McKenna, Mason Jones and training partner Jack Shore when he faces Val Woodburn.
And as he has done for many years, he is leaning on Shore and Shore's father, British MMA pioneer Richard, for advice ahead of the biggest fight of his career.
“They just told me to enjoy it,” he said. 'They only helped me mentally.
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'They knew I was mentally ready.
“They basically just said: 'The pressure is off now. Go and enjoy it.'
“And the pressure is off, I can finally enjoy it now.”
With the “pressure” of making it to the UFC no longer on his shoulders, Elliott believes he can finally truly express himself as a mixed martial artist.
And in his mind, that starts this weekend with the slaughter of former Combat Night Pro star Woodburn.
“He's going to try to kill me,” Elliot said. “And I'm going to try to kill him.
'Stylistically, I can freak out the script on him and I can adapt to whatever he gives me.
“If he puts me in deep water, we know I can swim. We know I'm good in the first minute, we know I'm good in the last minute.
“Stylistically, I'm willing to fight instinctively. I don't really have a breakdown for you. I am ready to die. I hope he is too.'
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